


"3 is a Magic Number"

by Krash39



Category: All Time Low (Band)
Genre: Gen, Is that still a thing?, Language?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 10:19:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21474391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krash39/pseuds/Krash39
Summary: “In adulthood I’ve been pretty lucky, but when I was younger I broke my wrist three times, which sucked."-Jack Barakat "Kerrang!"
Kudos: 4





	"3 is a Magic Number"

"Lucky number 7"  
"You can't ride it Jack, you're not big enough." "Am too! Pleeeeeease Joe. I wanna try."   
Jack watched his brother circle around him again on his bike. It was small, much smaller than Joe, made for tricks and jumps. It hadn't looked like much when he'd brought it home, but as soon as Jack saw him launch off the neighbors mini ramp the urge to try himself had been unquellable.   
Joe began making his way to the end of the street, and Jack ran alongside his brother. "I can ride it Joe, mine's two wheels. What's the difference?"   
Joe kept his pace slow. "This is a BMX bike, your's is plastic with Ninja Turtles on it squirt, this thing might not look it but its pretty heavy." "If I don't drop it, can I try it?"   
At this Joe stopped and balanced with one sneaker on the ground. He sighed heavily and looked back towards their house. "I promise I won't hurt it." Jack held out a pinky - a habit he'd picked up since last Summer, using it for only his most sincere promises. Joe debated again, then swung his leg over the seat. "Ok but we're going to the baseball field, mom'll kill me if I let you wipe out on the black top."

Jack ran, practically full speed to the end of the block. The old baseball field was the last remnant of the town's previous High School, torn down before either brother was born and replaced with the current one several miles away.   
As far as Jack knew, the large backstop cage had always been brown and sagging with rust. The infield was rutted and sprinkled with patches of weeds, and littered with the occasional Coors can.   
"Ok Jack, try and take a lap around the field. And stay away from the broken glass." Joe held one side of the handle bars, and the frame just below the seat to let his younger brother climb on. Almost shaking with excitement Jack swung one gangly leg over and pressed into the pedal. One final push off the dirt and he was off, falling into an easy rhythm to balance the much heavier bike.   
"I got it! Look Joe!" Jack pedaled faster riding his brother's bike. "Nice! Keep going dude!" Joe cheered him from home plate. By the second lap, an idea had begun to form.   
Though part of it had worn away, there was still enough of the pitchers mound left that Jack could ride it, like his brother had done. He turned in tight passing second base and Joe read the intention. "Jack! Don't!!!" The warning came as his brother reached the top of the mound, and leaned too far forwards coming down. The front tire dug into the soft sand and turned, sending Jack flying over the handle bars. Without thinking he closed his eyes and reached out to break his fall, and gasped when he landed. 

He felt Joe's strong hands helping him up even before he opened his eyes. "Oww..Ow!" He repeated, the distress rising in his voice. Something was definitely not right. His left hand felt achy and tight. "What'd you hit kiddo?" Jack opened his eyes and looked down. His wrist was starting to look puffy. "I landed on my hand." Jack tried to fight the tears that had started collecting, but couldn't hold them back. He felt Joe gingerly holding his arm steady as he helped him stand. "C'mon, let's get you home."   
"I'm sorry." Jack cried. He felt like he'd let him down.  
"What do you have to be sorry for?" Joe asked ruffling his brother's hair.  
"I didn't mean to crash." They walked back down the street slowly.   
"Dude, I don't care about the bike. Don't be such a dingus!"   
"I'm not a dingus!..What's a dingus?"  
"Someone who breaks their arm the first time they try and get air." Joe laughed.

  
"Sophomore Slump"

The school bell rang filling the drab halls with chaos, shouts, laughter and lockers slamming. Jack stuffed the last book into his back pack and hurried down the hall. More than halfway through Sophomore year their routine was daily. After last bell, Jack, Alex, Zack and Rian would meet and pile onto Rian's bus for band practice.

Jack ran down the stairs and through the English hall, a little later than he'd meant to be today. Alex stood next to his locker, waiting.   
"Hey, there you are!" He fell into step next to Jack and they continued on.  
"Did you get your French test back?" Jack asked already knowing the answer. "Ohhh yea, bombed that one, big time." Alex shook his head. They turned down the Math hall and Zack joined in. 

The last two turns took them past the music hall and towards the back parking lot.  
As they passed Jack happened to glance down the end of the hall, and was not surprised to see a group of students crowded at the other end. One, he noted, was Tom, the quiet blonde kid who sat next to him in Bio class. Something about the look on his face gave Jack pause. He stopped just past the wall and watched, until one of the others - a heavier set kid Jack didn't know, shoved Tom, hard.  
"Hey!" Jack yelled without thinking. Several faces, including Tom's, turned towards him.   
  
In Batman comics, as soon as Batman announced himself criminals would drop what they were doing, quaking in fear. The simple menacing stare of the Dark Knight could stop any villain in their tracks. It occurred to Jack that he himself, did not possess the same foreboding bearing as his comment hung in the air, awkward, and impotent.  
He thought to look back and see if Alex and Zack had noticed he was missing and doubled back- but breaking eye contact would be like signaling weakness in a pack.  
  
"Leave him alone." Jack tried to sound confident and commanding, but in his own ears he heard the shake of uncertainty.   
"What's it to you asshole" the larger boy shot back, keeping himself between Tom and freedom. Jack took a breath and opted for nonchalance.  
"Seriously? Just leave him alone, you're honestly gonna push him around? He's like four times smaller than you. Go home and use a sock if you need to feel good about yourself."  
He'd meant it as a joke, but saw his misstep instantly. The boy's face darkened; fire, and possibly murder in his eyes. He shrank the distance between them in a handful of purposeful strides.   
"The fuck did you say?" He spat, face red, fists clenching. Jack put up his hands in deference. "I just meant, what's it gonna get you hassling him? Why don't you just leave him be and go find something else to do."  
The closeness unnerved him. Jack had never thrown a punch on purpose in his life, but would bet a year's allowance this kid had, more than once. He wished, again, that Alex and Zack would pick that moment to appear and back him up.  
"Look man, I'm just sayin' there's no reason for that, leave him alo-" He didn't have time to finish as a meaty right hand came flying his way.   
Without thinking Jack ducked his head and raised his right arm to deflect it.   
  
The world was suddenly loud with cheering kids. The habitual chant of "FIGHT" broke out amidst the noise. Without much hesitation the heavy boy swung his left fist and made to grab Jack around the neck. Feeling panic rise Jack was surprised to see his left fist fly on its own straight into the other boy's face. The oncoming arms dropped as a red smear bloomed under his knuckles, and a sharp crunch ran through his hand.   
Jack stepped back, stunned, and cradled his throbbing arm into his stomach expecting another interaction; but none came. The other boy was too preoccupied with the geyser of blood leaking from his broken nose.  
  
"Jesus Jack!" Two pairs of hands grabbed either side of the book bag attached around his shoulders and began dragging him away. "Let's go before you get suspended!"   
He looked back in time to see Tom race down the opposite hall without a word to anyone, so he turned and ran with his friends.  
They didn't stop until they were between the buses.   
"Are you insane?!" Alex asked "That kid could have eaten you alive!"   
"I dunno why man, I just couldn't watch them push him around." Jack shrugged, and winced, gripping his left wrist. Zack laughed wildly, "I think you broke his nose. Is that the first time you've ever hit someone"?" Jack nodded looking up, "What can I say, I'm Batman." he grinned. "Yea, well Batman, I think you need someone to look at that." Alex nodded towards his arm.  
"Probably." he agreed.  
Just then Rian stepped off the sidewalk. "Hey did you guys hear about the fight?....... What?? What'd I miss??" 

"You Must Be This Tall To Ride"

Jack bopped to a melody in his own head as he picked at the harmonics, tuning his guitar. "Where's everybody else?" Rian asked spinning the wingnut back onto the felt washer of his cymbal. "Zack is at the dentist, he'll be over after. Alex's grandmother is visiting so he's out for today." Jack stuck the pick back between his front teeth and plucked his 'E' strings.   
"You're still a half-step off high." Rian frowned.   
"I know, these fucking strings are so old they won't tune." The lights flicked off and on several times . "Sorry!!" Jack shouted to the ceiling as Rian chuckled.   
"Dude, you're mom's got crazy good hearing." He muttered. "The mic is on, dumbass." Rian laughed as Jack rolled his eyes.  
They flickered again.   
"Sorry!!" Rian shouted up. "Or she does."  
  
Suddenly the light bulb popped leaving them both in the dark.   
"Shit." Jack looked up. "Do you have any light bulbs down here?" "I think so, hang on." He heard the scratch of the stool moving over the cement floor, and then the scuffle of several small items moving around further away.  
"Got one." Rian returned with a flashlight and a new bulb.  
"Cool."   
"Well, um, actually, can you - I can't reach it." Rian turned the beam upwards revealing a recessed socket housing between the joists. Jack reached up and found that his fingers could only just touch the bottom of the light as well. "Gimme something to stand on." He pulled the guitar strap over his head and set it down. Rian turned an old plastic crate upside down on the floor. Stepping up, Jack was more than tall enough to reach.   
Within moments he'd removed the old light and began to thread the new one into the socket. Several turns in the new light flicked on, blinked and then popped as well. Jack cursed and jumped, going to step off the crate. Instead it slid over the floor sending him sprawling, with a snap as he landed.   
"FUCK!" he shouted.   
"You ok?" Rian crouched next to him.  
"No." Jack groaned more annoyed than anything else as he sat up. He pulled his left arm into his lap.  
"You're kidding?" Rian pointed the light at his hand.  
"Nope." He growled. "Of all the fucking luck."  
They both looked up at the rhythmic humming suddenly above their heads.  
"Seriously." Jack shook his head incredulously. "Your mom's gotta have radar or something." 

**Author's Note:**

> This is not good. I did not spend time on this. In fact 1 day in I had no clue why this should be a thing but finished it for the sake of finishing it.  
(PS I went back and actually found the School House Rock song and it sounds like a creepy Bob Dylan pretending not to be 1000% done with singing to kids. *insert More You Know icon*)


End file.
